Honduras leftist leader could present opportunities for US

By CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN
Associated Press

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — If Xiomara Castro’s wide lead in Honduras’ presidential election holds, her leftist government could present opportunities for a Biden administration. It has struggled with how to work on the country’s problems while keeping current President Juan Orlando Hernández at arm’s length. There will be some painful history to overcome, primarily the U.S. government’s initial sluggishness in calling the ouster of Castro’s husband Manuel Zelaya in 2009 what it was _ a coup _ and then proceed to work closely with conservative National Party presidents who followed. And from the U.S. perspective, how Castro and Zelaya cozied up to then-Venezuela President Hugo Chavez.